Save your trees, your back and your wallet from mulch volcanoes!

In my March 20th article I wrote about early spring mulching tasks to do that would help your garden grow. Today I want to talk a bit about a popular mulching practice NOT to do - those huge “mulch volcanoes” that you see around trees. They are a waste of money and harmful to trees. But you ask – I see them around trees maintained by professional landscapers?! Yes, that’s true, and landscapers should know better. Intrigued? … please read on! Mounds of mulch around tree trunks encourages rodents and diseases and inhibits oxygen from getting down to the roots (yes, roots need to breathe too!). Now don’t get me wrong, mulch is part of good tree management; just not heaps of mulch. And if your landscaper suggests otherwise, you may want to suggest that they brush up on the topic (show them the website below!) rather than charging you for time and materials to make mulch volcanoes that can only harm your trees, not help them. Tree trunks are meant to be above ground and open to the air, right down to where the trunk flares out at the soil line. What flare, you ask? Well, the “root flare” is the zone where the tree trunk widens out a bit as it turns into the root system and the flare should be visible right at the soil line. If your tree trunk at ground level looks as straight as a telephone pole then the tree is planted (or has sunk) too deep. But that’s for another article. Now back to mulching trees. Proper mulching is good for trees. So, how do we mulch trees properly?

• Keep mulch at least 3-4 inches away from the tree trunk.


• Mulch out to the "drip line" of the tree (where the branches farthest from the trunk end). The tree (and the grass that you eliminate) will thank you. Must have lawn under your tree? Make the mulched area as large as you can.


• Layer fine-textured mulch no more than 2 inches deep and coarse-textured mulch no more than 4 inches deep.


• Occasionally fluff the mulch layer, especially before putting on new mulch. Remember that the entire mulch layer (old plus new) should be only 2 to 4 inches deep.

For more information on mulching trees and lots of other tree related topics, visit www.patrees.org Questions? Contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Groundhogs

Is it Punxsutawney Phil, the famous furry barometer, or maybe Gus the second most famous groundhog, you see scurry across your yard? Probably not, but as common as this long tailed rodent is seen, it would seem that Ground Hog’s Day happens seven days a week, all year long.

Marmota monax, the groundhog, also known as the woodchuck, is a chunky creature weighing up to 10 lbs. Its length ranges sixteen to twenty inches plus the tail, four to seven inches. While open farm land is their first choice, the groundhog has made a comfortable home in the suburban landscape where plenty of food and shelter make life easy for them. Often a groundhog will construct its burrow along stone walls, at the base of trees and even along a foundation.

Groundhog burrows can be identified by the large mound of excavated earth at the main entrance. On this mound, which is constantly renewed by debris from within, the groundhog frequently sits to look for danger. The entranceway is 10 to 12 inches in diameter, and they also have secondary entrances. These tend to be hidden and dug from below so mounds are not seen.

The groundhog can be the bane of most homeowners. The animal’s feeding and burrowing hab¬its conflict with human interests. Damage often occurs on farms, in home gardens, orchards, nurseries, around build¬ings. Damage to crops such as alfalfa, soybeans, beans, squash, tomatoes, and peas can be costly and extensive. A homeowner may lose his or her entire tomato patch. Fruit trees and ornamental shrubs may be damaged by groundhog as they gnaw on woody vegetation. Mounds of earth from the excavated burrow systems and holes formed at burrow entrances present a hazard to farm equipment, animals and humans. On occasion, burrowing can building foundations.

In Pennsylvania, groundhogs are classified as game ani¬mals. Game protection is removed when they damage personal property. In that case, groundhogs can be controlled by the property owner using the lawful means. If a homeowner does not feel comfortable with any means of control, there are many wildlife pest control companies who can do this for you.

If the area is small, poultry wire or two inch woven mesh fencing can be installed. With three foot minimum above ground, the fence should have twelve inches buried in the ground, with six inches bent in an L shape pointing away.

Scarecrows can provide temporary relief from groundhog damage. Move them regularly and incorporate a high level of human activity in the susceptible area.

There are no repellents or toxicants that are for use on groundhogs. There are other products such as fumigants and gas cartridges available at home and garden centers which are labeled for use on groundhogs. Please carefully follow the directions as these are dangerous products.

There are live traps the homeowners can use as well. Place the trap near fresh damage or at the main entrance of the burrow. Use fresh bait such as apple slices, carrots, and lettuce. Be careful once the animal is trapped. Give some thought to a relocation area at least ten miles away and here the groundhog will not be the pest he was to you.

For more information on groundhogs or any other home horticulture topic, please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at (570) 963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
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